Patrons and Defenders - Saints in the Italian City-state

The Cult of the Saints played a vital role in the political life of Italian city states in the Middle Ages. The saints were a unifying force for a city, and brought prestige and power to its rulers, therefore the Cult of the Saints was bound up with the civic agenda, and worship was politically charged. Laymen - able men of affairs, orthodox and "kirchentreu", increasingly assumed responsibility for ensuring that "celestial guarantees" were obtained for a city''s well-being, despite the traditionally powerful influence of the church. This book is therefore not a hagiography, but an intensely political study of an age in which religious experience was seen as part of everyday life, and in which it seemed natural to medieval politicians to involve the saints in politics.>

Product details

• Authors: Diana Webb, Diana (King''s College London Webb, Webb Diana
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 31.10.2020
• EAN: 9781350183575
• ISBN: 978-1-350-18357-5
• No. of pages: 352
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > Regional and national histories; RELIGION / Christianity / Catholic, European History, RELIGION / Christian Theology / General, RELIGION / Christianity / General, HISTORY / Europe / Italy, Italy, Theology, Christianity, Christian theology, CE period up to c 1500, c 1000 CE to c 1500, Early history: c 500 to c 1450/1500, Roman Catholicism, Roman Catholic Church, European history: medieval period, middle ages, HISTORY / Europe / Medieval